Today, Woody Allen turns 80 years old. There is every reason to congratulate this outstanding director even though he’s far from at the top of his game right now. Allen remains incredibly prolific, turning out a new movie every year. Once a year, we take our seat in a movie theater hoping to be dazzled … Continue reading Woody Allen at 80
SOME PEOPLE CHANGE YOUR LIFE FOREVER. In 1952, Patricia Highsmith was known as a mystery writer, having written a now-classic novel called “Strangers on a Train”, which had been filmed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1951. Her fans expected crime fiction, which is partly why Highsmith’s next novel was released under a pseudonym – and by … Continue reading Carol: The Price of Love
The clip above is a Euronews summary of last night’s awards ceremony at the Cannes film festival. I wasn’t there, but the time has come for a look back at the event how it appeared from the outside. The jury of this year’s festival was chaired by the Coen brothers and consisted of Guillermo del … Continue reading Cannes: Revolutionary and Conservative
A few years after the events of the first movie, Hiccup and his village are drawn into a battle against a conqueror who knows how to trap and control dragons. A sequel just as ambitious as the first entry. We follow Hiccup as he transitions into adulthood and its responsibilities and challenges at the … Continue reading How to Train Your Dragon 2
This adaptation of the old fairy tale was made by Disney and is heavily inspired by their 1950 animated version. The story of the orphaned girl (Lily James) who is mistreated by her wicked stepmother (Cate Blanchett), but gets a magical shot at wooing Prince Charming is girlishly romantic and fun for kids. Handsomely mounted, … Continue reading Cinderella
THE DEFINING CHAPTER. The dragon Smaug flies to Esgaroth to destroy the town, but greater challenges await in the shape of a coming battle for Lonely Mountain. The final part of this trilogy is the shortest film Peter Jackson ever made about the Middle-Earth, but maybe that’s because it is so completely dominated by that … Continue reading The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies
IT WAS THE GREATEST ART HEIST IN HISTORY. In 1943, art conservationist Frank Stokes (George Clooney) talks President Roosevelt into allowing him to form an Army unit consisting of art historians and various experts, with the task of saving as many works of art from the Nazis as possible. Based on true events, this film … Continue reading The Monuments Men
Welcome to Oscar week, one that will culminate with the awards show on Sunday. Within a few days I will also publish my review of a classic Best Picture winner, From Here to Eternity (1953). The past week has mostly featured news stories of which celebrities will hand out Oscars, and which will perform live. No surprises … Continue reading My Oscar Predictions
Last Thursday, the Oscar nominations were announced by Chris Hemsworth and Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs in an early morning broadcast. Some of the subsequent commentators claimed that there were a few surprises… but not really. There’s a chance of up to ten Best Picture nominations nowadays, and you seriously did not expect Philomena, a great, … Continue reading Don’t Get Hustled by the Oscars Race
It’s time for that annual list of this year’s highly anticipated Hollywood films. Here’s 2014 for ya. JANUARY: * Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit – This reboot of Tom Clancy’s CIA analyst cum action hero has Chris Pine, Kevin Costner and Kenneth Branagh (who’s also directing), but the trailer disturbingly shows another variation on the Jason Bourne … Continue reading The Greatest Hits of 2014
In the clip above, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler, hosts of next Sunday’s Golden Globe awards are having a little fun. “Ten seconds or less why the Golden Globes are the best awards show… hmmm… gimme a minute…” Looks promising. The time has come for some predictions. FILM: In the Drama categories, 12 Years a Slave … Continue reading Winners at Next Sunday’s Golden Globes
After losing everything and suffering a mental breakdown when her wealthy husband (Alec Baldwin) is sent to jail on fraud charges, Jasmine Francis (Cate Blanchett) goes to stay with her sister (Sally Hawkins) in San Francisco. When Woody Allen takes on the financial crisis, he naturally sets the story in a world he knows … Continue reading Blue Jasmine
It’s time for that annual list of this year’s highly anticipated Hollywood films. Here’s 2013 for ya. JANUARY: * The Last Stand – Arnold Schwarzenegger’s first starring vehicle in ten years. Not expecting great things. * Broken City – Allen Hughes directs this political thriller starring Mark Wahlberg and Russell Crowe. FEBRUARY: * Warm Bodies … Continue reading The Greatest Hits of 2013
